Guidance in Management

The Concept of  Guidance Guidance in management  can be defined as: – “The act or process of guiding” or “The one who shows the way by leading, directing, or advising. “ or “The one who serves as a model for others, as in a course of conduct.” Good manager guide their employees to continually learn new skills and work toward organizational goals, while being sensitive to their needs. This kind of guidance gives employees a vested interest in their organization, which will affect the quality of their work. The good manager is a leader, not an order giver. When a manager tells an employee what he want done, instead of giving an order, the manager give their employees the freedom to come up with their best way of getting that task done. It may not always be the best way, and the manager may have to do some monitoring and Continue reading

Important Types of Planning in Management

Planning is highly essential for the successful functioning of any organization, big or small.  Planning, in simple terms, involves drawing up a scheduled list of activities required to achieve a particular goal. In a company or even at home, a certain amount of planning helps you finish tasks successfully. But in an organization with a huge workforce and many hierarchical levels, planning is quintessential to meeting the organization’s objectives and targets. Types of Planning in an Organization Strategic Planning Operational Planning Financial Planning Marketing Planning Proactive Planning Strategic Planning Strategic planning is the kind of planning that provides direction for the organization on how to proceed in the long run. The organization makes clear the strategy it intends on pursuing to achieve all of its targets, and allocates resources and takes action accordingly. In order to be able to devise the organization’s strategy, it is necessary that the organization knows Continue reading

Creative and Innovative Culture in Modern Organizations

Organizational Culture is an outcome of cultural processes at work in a particular setting and focuses on people and the shared meaning within them. An organization with a strong culture may find it difficult to adapt with changes. If they want to bring a culture of creativity then the organization may find it hard to cope with it. A strong culture will have people with commonalities and may lack diversity which is essential in generating new and different ideas. However, subcultures can exist in such organization with strong culture which may bring creativity as a result of diversity. Such divisions are responsible for giving a different option or a direction to the organization which can result to new frontiers. Diversity is an integral element of an organization’s culture. A manager has to be aware of the differences that exist among various employees working in the organization. People in an organization Continue reading

Criticism of Scientific Management Theory (Taylorism)

Frederick  Winslow  Taylor  was one of the first theorists to consider management and process improvement as a scientific problem and, as such, is widely considered the father of scientific management. He proposed that a business’s economic efficiency could be improved by simplifying and optimizing work processes, which would, in turn, increase productivity. Taylorism, as a philosophy, was the product of a series of experiments and observations, such as time-motion studies, designed to determine the most effective and efficient way to complete a task. Its fundamental and inter-related principles can be summarized as follows: Using scientific method to challenge habitual working practices and to determine the most efficient way to perform specific work tasks; Matching workers’ capability and motivation to the task requirements and supervising them according to the established rules and procedures; Establishing fair performance levels and develop a pay system that rewards, and therefore encourages, over-achievement; and Appropriate division Continue reading

Types of Business Ownership – Sole Proprietorship and Partnership

When entrepreneurs establish a business, they must decide on the form of business ownership. There are three basic forms of business ownership: sole proprietorship, partnership, and corporation. The form that is chosen can affect the profitability, risk, and value of the firm. The business ownership decision determines how the earnings of a business are distributed among the owners of the business, the degree of liability of each owner, the degree of control that each owner has in running the business, the potential return of the business, and the risk of the business. These types of decisions are necessary for all business. Sole Proprietorship A business owned by a single owner is referred to as a sole proprietorship. The owner of a sole proprietorship is called a sole proprietor. A sole proprietor may obtain loans from creditors to help finance the firm’s operations, but these loans do not represent ownership. The Continue reading

Meaning and Definition of Motivation

To the behavioral scientists, the word motivation is something stemming from within a person. According to them, motivation refers to a dynamic driving force, which stems from within. It is an “inner striving condition, which activates or moves individual into action and continues him in the course of action enthusiastically”. Thus, motivation is defined as an inner state that activates, energizes or moves behavior towards goals. And, the forces inside the individual that inspire him to continue work are variously called as wishes, drives, needs etc. According to Rensis Likert motivation is the “core of management.” Motivation is an important function performed by manager for actuating the people to work for the accomplishment of organisational objectives. Issuance of well-conceived instructions and orders does not mean that they will be followed. A manager has to make appropriate use of various techniques of motivation to enthuse the employees to follow them. Effective Continue reading